Kalabhairav Ashtakam · कालभैरव अष्टकम्
Eight verses to Kalabhairava, the fierce form of Shiva who guards Kashi, beginning "Devaraja sevyamana".
देवराजसेव्यमानपावनाङ्घ्रिपङ्कजं व्यालयज्ञसूत्रमिन्दुशेखरं कृपाकरम् । नारदादियोगिवृन्दवन्दितं दिगम्बरं काशिकापुराधिनाथ कालभैरवं भजे ॥
devarājasevyamānapāvanāṅghripaṅkajaṃ vyālayajñasūtraminduśekharaṃ kṛpākaram । nāradādiyogivṛndavanditaṃ digambaraṃ kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavaṃ bhaje ॥
जिनके पवित्र चरण-कमलों की सेवा देवराज इंद्र करते हैं, जो सर्प का यज्ञोपवीत और सिर पर चंद्रमा धारण करते हैं, कृपा के सागर, नारद आदि योगियों के समूह द्वारा वंदित, दिगंबर: काशी नगरी के स्वामी कालभैरव को मैं भजता हूँ।
He whose holy lotus feet are served by Indra, king of the gods, who wears a serpent as his sacred thread and the moon on his head, the compassionate one, worshipped by Narada and hosts of yogis, clothed by the sky: I worship Kalabhairava, lord of the city of Kashi.
भानुकोटिभास्वरं भवाब्धितारकं परं नीलकण्ठमीप्सितार्थदायकं त्रिलोचनम् । कालकालमम्बुजाक्षमक्षशूलमक्षरं काशिकापुराधिनाथ कालभैरवं भजे ॥
bhānukoṭibhāsvaraṃ bhavābdhitārakaṃ paraṃ nīlakaṇṭhamīpsitārthadāyakaṃ trilocanam । kālakālamambujākṣamakṣaśūlamakṣaraṃ kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavaṃ bhaje ॥
करोड़ों सूर्यों के समान दीप्तिमान, संसार-सागर से तारने वाले परम, नीले कंठ वाले, मनचाहा फल देने वाले, तीन नेत्रों वाले; काल के भी काल, कमल-नयन, अक्षमाला और त्रिशूल धारण करने वाले, अविनाशी: काशी नगरी के स्वामी कालभैरव को मैं भजता हूँ।
Shining like a crore of suns, the supreme one who carries us across the ocean of birth, blue-throated, giver of all we desire, three-eyed; death to Death himself, lotus-eyed, holding the trident and the rosary, the imperishable: I worship Kalabhairava, lord of the city of Kashi.
शूलटङ्कपाशदण्डपाणिमादिकारणं श्यामकायमादिदेवमक्षरं निरामयम् । भीमविक्रमं प्रभुं विचित्रताण्डवप्रियं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥
śūlaṭaṅkapāśadaṇḍapāṇimādikāraṇaṃ śyāmakāyamādidevamakṣaraṃ nirāmayam । bhīmavikramaṃ prabhuṃ vicitratāṇḍavapriyaṃ kāśikāpurādhināthakālabhairavaṃ bhaje ॥
हाथों में शूल, टंक, पाश और दंड लिए, आदि कारण, श्याम शरीर वाले, आदिदेव, अविनाशी और निरोग; भीम पराक्रम वाले प्रभु, अद्भुत तांडव के प्रेमी: काशी नगरी के स्वामी कालभैरव को मैं भजता हूँ।
With trident, axe, noose and staff in his hands, the first cause, dark of body, the first god, imperishable and untouched by disease; the lord of terrible valour, who loves the wondrous tandava dance: I worship Kalabhairava, lord of the city of Kashi.
भुक्तिमुक्तिदायकं प्रशस्तचारुविग्रहं भक्तवत्सलं स्थितं समस्तलोकविग्रहम् । विनिक्वणन्मनोज्ञहेमकिङ्किणीलसत्कटिं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥
bhuktimuktidāyakaṃ praśastacāruvigrahaṃ bhaktavatsalaṃ sthitaṃ samastalokavigraham । vinikvaṇanmanojñahemakiṅkiṇīlasatkaṭiṃ kāśikāpurādhināthakālabhairavaṃ bhaje ॥
भोग और मोक्ष देने वाले, सुंदर और प्रशंसनीय शरीर वाले, भक्तों पर स्नेह करने वाले, समस्त लोक जिनका शरीर है, जिनकी कमर पर मधुर बजती सोने की घुँघरू शोभा पाती हैं: काशी नगरी के स्वामी कालभैरव को मैं भजता हूँ।
Giver of enjoyment and liberation, of lovely and praised form, loving to his devotees, whose body is all the worlds, whose waist gleams with sweetly jingling golden bells: I worship Kalabhairava, lord of the city of Kashi.
धर्मसेतुपालकं त्वधर्ममार्गनाशकं कर्मपाशमोचकं सुशर्मदायकं विभुम् । स्वर्णवर्णशेषपाशशोभिताङ्गमण्डलं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥
dharmasetupālakaṃ tvadharmamārganāśakaṃ karmapāśamocakaṃ suśarmadāyakaṃ vibhum । svarṇavarṇaśeṣapāśaśobhitāṅgamaṇḍalaṃ kāśikāpurādhināthakālabhairavaṃ bhaje ॥
धर्म के सेतु के रक्षक, अधर्म के मार्गों का नाश करने वाले, कर्म के पाश से छुड़ाने वाले, सच्चा सुख देने वाले, सर्वव्यापक, सुनहरे शेषनाग के घेरों से सुशोभित शरीर वाले: काशी नगरी के स्वामी कालभैरव को मैं भजता हूँ।
Keeper of the bridge of dharma, destroyer of the paths of adharma, who frees us from the noose of karma and gives true happiness, the all-pervading, whose body is adorned with golden serpent coils: I worship Kalabhairava, lord of the city of Kashi.
रत्नपादुकाप्रभाभिरामपादयुग्मकं नित्यमद्वितीयमिष्टदैवतं निरञ्जनम् । मृत्युदर्पनाशनं करालदंष्ट्रमोक्षणं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥
ratnapādukāprabhābhirāmapādayugmakaṃ nityamadvitīyamiṣṭadaivataṃ nirañjanam । mṛtyudarpanāśanaṃ karāladaṃṣṭramokṣaṇaṃ kāśikāpurādhināthakālabhairavaṃ bhaje ॥
जिनके दोनों चरण रत्नों की पादुकाओं की कांति से सुंदर हैं, नित्य, अद्वितीय, इष्टदेव, निरंजन; मृत्यु के घमंड को नष्ट करने वाले और उसके भयानक दाँतों से छुड़ाने वाले: काशी नगरी के स्वामी कालभैरव को मैं भजता हूँ।
Whose two feet are lovely with the light of jewelled sandals, the eternal, the one without a second, the beloved deity, the stainless; who crushes the pride of Death and frees us from his terrible fangs: I worship Kalabhairava, lord of the city of Kashi.
अट्टहासभिन्नपद्मजाण्डकोशसन्ततिं दृष्टिपातनष्टपापजालमुग्रशासनम् । अष्टसिद्धिदायकं कपालमालिकाधरं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥
aṭṭahāsabhinnapadmajāṇḍakośasantatiṃ dṛṣṭipātanaṣṭapāpajālamugraśāsanam । aṣṭasiddhidāyakaṃ kapālamālikādharaṃ kāśikāpurādhināthakālabhairavaṃ bhaje ॥
जिनके अट्टहास से ब्रह्मा से उत्पन्न ब्रह्मांडों के कोश फट जाते हैं, जिनकी दृष्टि पड़ते ही पापों का जाल नष्ट हो जाता है, कठोर शासक, आठ सिद्धियाँ देने वाले, मुंडमाला धारण करने वाले: काशी नगरी के स्वामी कालभैरव को मैं भजता हूँ।
Whose laughter splits the shells of the cosmic eggs born of Brahma, whose glance destroys the web of sin, the stern ruler, giver of the eight powers, wearing a garland of skulls: I worship Kalabhairava, lord of the city of Kashi.
भूतसङ्घनायकं विशालकीर्तिदायकं काशिवासलोकपुण्यपापशोधकं विभुम् । नीतिमार्गकोविदं पुरातनं जगत्पतिं काशिकापुराधिनाथ कालभैरवं भजे ॥
bhūtasaṅghanāyakaṃ viśālakīrtidāyakaṃ kāśivāsalokapuṇyapāpaśodhakaṃ vibhum । nītimārgakovidaṃ purātanaṃ jagatpatiṃ kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavaṃ bhaje ॥
भूतगणों के नायक, विशाल कीर्ति देने वाले, काशीवासियों के पुण्य-पाप को शुद्ध करने वाले सर्वव्यापक प्रभु, नीति के मार्ग के ज्ञाता, पुरातन जगत्पति: काशी नगरी के स्वामी कालभैरव को मैं भजता हूँ।
Leader of the hosts of spirits, giver of wide fame, the all-pervading lord who purifies the merit and sin of those who live in Kashi, wise in the ways of right conduct, the ancient lord of the world: I worship Kalabhairava, lord of the city of Kashi.
कालभैरवाष्टकं पठन्ति ये मनोहरं ज्ञानमुक्तिसाधनं विचित्रपुण्यवर्धनम् । शोकमोहदैन्यलोभकोपतापनाशनं ते प्रयान्ति कालभैरवाङ्घ्रिसन्निधिं ध्रुवम् ॥
kālabhairavāṣṭakaṃ paṭhanti ye manoharaṃ jñānamuktisādhanaṃ vicitrapuṇyavardhanam । śokamohadainyalobhakopatāpanāśanaṃ te prayānti kālabhairavāṅghrisannidhiṃ dhruvam ॥
जो ज्ञान और मुक्ति के साधन, अनेक प्रकार से पुण्य बढ़ाने वाले, शोक, मोह, दीनता, लोभ, क्रोध और ताप का नाश करने वाले इस मनोहर कालभैरव अष्टक का पाठ करते हैं, वे निश्चय ही कालभैरव के चरणों के समीप पहुँचते हैं।
Those who recite this lovely Kalabhairava Ashtakam, a means to knowledge and liberation that increases merit in many ways and destroys grief, delusion, poverty, greed, anger and distress, surely reach the feet of Kalabhairava.
About this text
Kalabhairava is the fierce form of Shiva worshipped as the guardian and lord of Kashi (Varanasi). This ashtakam, traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya, describes him in eight verses, each ending with the refrain "I worship Kalabhairava, lord of the city of Kashi": dark-bodied and three-eyed, wearing a serpent as his sacred thread and the moon on his head, holding the trident, axe, noose and staff, with a garland of skulls and jingling golden bells at his waist; his laughter splits the universe, his glance destroys sin, and he frees people from the bonds of karma. The ninth verse says those who recite it reach his feet.
How it is recited
It is recited in Bhairav worship, especially on Kalabhairav Jayanti, on the eighth day of the dark fortnight (Kalashtami), and on Sundays and Tuesdays. Customs vary.
When it is recited
More for Bhairav
More Ashtakams
Sources & checks
- Editions compared
- Kalabhairav Ashtakam, nakshatraprabha.com (2026), collated 2026-10-13, sha256 93c9602caf5d
- Kalabhairav Ashtakam, pavitragranth.com (2026), collated 2026-10-13, sha256 1ebfeb612489
- Kalabhairav Ashtakam, shlokam.org (2026), collated 2026-10-13, sha256 b605aa1faaa9
- Text checked
- Compared line by line across 3 independent sources; every line confirmed by at least 2 (SanatanVani editorial process)
- Meaning
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- : Published. Text compared line by line across independent sources (see the editorial policy).